Page 52 of Rebel
“Chase, is there a problem?” Rachel interrupts Michael, who looks between us.
“None at all. He’s just feeling extra annoying this morning,” I inform her with a fake laugh.
“I see.” Something in her eyes gives me pause before she smiles. “Maybe you could save it for after this meeting, Chase? After all, planning is very important.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs, shifting away. “After.”
The meeting is far too long, and the entire time, I feel all of their eyes on me, as if they are waiting for me to blow up. They will be waiting a while, that’s for sure, though I do like their discomfort.
“Okay, that’s all,” Michael says.
Rachel grins. “Make sure to rest, and don’t have too much fun, okay? Guys, I’ll pop in and see you together for our monthly catch-up.”
Good, she can distract them and keep them away from me. “Oh, and Beck, can I talk to you for a moment?” I nod as they file out, and she heads around the table, sitting on the hard surface. “How are you finding everything?”
“It’s fine,” I tell her.
She smiles brightly at me, and I wonder why the guys haven’t hit that. She’s beautiful and clearly knows it. “Good, just a little thing. A picture came out with you and Kolton in the back garden getting cozy. Just be careful, okay? Paparazzi see everything, and we wouldn’t want to ruin this tour.” She sighs. “The guys are flirts, but don’t let them walk all over you.”
“Sure, sorry.” I get to my feet. I can’t promise it won’t happen again.
If I have to fuck all three to ruin them, I will.
I don’t care what it takes anymore.
She smiles tightly at me. “Make sure to rest and behave just like the boys. All eyes are on you, waiting for you to slip up.”
Nodding, I leave the room quickly. Her job must suck, but she makes it work. A part of me thinks she will see straight through me and notice the liar and schemer underneath if we spend too much time together. She has sharp, knowing eyes.
Heading to the elevators, I tug down my shades, ready to get my plan underway, but I failed to see the guys waiting on the sofas. When I do, I sigh and turn away, hurrying to the next bank of elevators to avoid them.
“Wait, Beck, where are you going?” Trav calls, jogging to keep up with me.
“We might be bandmates, but we don’t have to spend all our time together, do we? I’m going out. I’ll be back for rehearsal this afternoon.”
I step into the empty elevator, but so do they. Sighing, I lean against the back wall as we descend the ridiculously tall building. “Beck,” Kolton begins, “we are really sorry.”
“It’s fine,” I say, hoping they drop it. I need them to believe I have forgiven them or I’ll never be able to do what needs to be done if they are watching my every move, so when Chase slams his hand into the emergency brake and turns to me, cornering me into the back wall, I relax and force myself to stay calm.
I ignore my fluttering heart as he leans in. “Saying it’s fine is bullshit, and we don’t do bullshit. We fucked up, and we are trying to apologize. Stop acting like a frosty bitch.”
Okay, that pisses me off. “Oh, real nice apology,” I snap, hitting his chest to push him away.
He doesn’t budge, and Kolt moves to my left, Trav to my right, boxing me in. All three stare at me intently.
Annoyed, I push my sunglasses onto my head and relax into the wall. “Fine, I forgive you. Now, I have things to do. Can we get moving?”
“Not until we fix it,” Trav says. “We made a stupid mistake, but you have to know, Beck, we did it because we didn’t want to fuck this up. It was before we got to know you. It was dumb, and we are sorry. All of us. What can we do to fix this?”
“Want us on our knees, pretty girl?” Chase whispers seductively, his dark eyes locked on me. “Or want us to break the pact for you?”
Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms to keep them away as Kolt moves closer. “We already broke it,” he admits, making me glare at him, “and I regret nothing. The pact was a stupid fucking thing to do. I like you, Beck. I like you a whole lot, and I don’t want you to regret what happened between us because of that mistake.”
“Shit, you broke the pact?” Chase groans. “I thought it would have been this guy.” He jerks his thumb at Trav, and I glance to the right to see his face, filled with envy, as he looks from me to Kolton.
“You fucked?” he snarls.
“It’s none of your business,” I retort, trying to move out of their circle of arms, but they don’t let me. If anything, they move closer as that annoying alarm blares since we are stopped.